Confessions of a Girl-Next-Door by Jackie Braun Read Free Book Online

royal tiara …”
    As jokes went, it fell abominably flat. Nate wasn’t amused. Far from it, if his tone were any indication.
    “I felt like an idiot for not figuring it out. Holly … Hollyn.” A snort escaped as he glanced her way. He raised his beer, took a sip. His gaze still on her, he said, “You must have thought I was pretty dense, especially those last couple of summers.”
    “No, Nate. Never. Honestly. I thought you were …”
Perfect. Gorgeous. My one true love.
She felt herself blush.
    He apparently thought he had his answer. “You did.”
    “No. You were … my best friend.”
    Even before the words were out, Holly was calling herself a liar. He’d been so much more than that. Of course, she’d been fifteen years old at the time, flush with hormones and full of girlish fantasies about the future she and Nate would have together. A future that could never be.
    “I missed you, Nate.”
    Her whispered words surprised them both.
    It was a moment before he said, “That first summer you didn’t show up on Heart, I all but haunted the cabin where you used to stay with your grandmother. I was sure you were just late. But guest after guest arrived and none of them was you. My parents finally started telling me in advance who hadrented the place. It was getting embarrassing, I guess.”
    Beyond wryness, was that pain she heard in his voice? It was selfish of her to hope so. Nonetheless, she did, recalling how she’d begged her mother to let her go and, then, begged her grandmother to intervene again.
    “I can’t, my girl,” the older woman had told her. “It’s time for you to accept your destiny. But I hope you’ll never forget who you really are.”
    How ironic that all these years later, Holly still wasn’t sure.
    “So, was she really your grandmother? For a while, after I found out the truth, I thought maybe she was just another part of your cover.”
    “No.” Her smile was fond. “She was really my gran.”
    “Your mother’s mom,” he guessed. “Now that I think of it, she had a bit of a Texas accent.”
    “As does my own mother, when she allows it to slip. Which is rare.” Holly frowned. “She put her past behind her.” Feeling disloyal, Holly added, “She wasn’t exactly accepted in Morenci at first, despite her position.” Every misstep and gaffe had beenfodder for the gossip mill. The old guard was appalled that a Texas beauty queen had snagged their bachelor king.
    “That must have been difficult for her.”
    “It was.” It also was the reason Holly had given her mother as much free rein with her life as she had. She knew how hard Olivia had tried to fit in. How much she had sacrificed to belong. She was finally getting the respect she deserved. But it had come after years of scrutiny and criticism.
    “So, your mother wanted you to come here.”
    Holly’s laughter erupted. “Good heavens, no.” She took another sip of beer and composed herself. “It was Gran’s idea. She was determined that I should know and appreciate my American roots. A friend of hers came to the island one summer, told her how wonderfully secluded it was. She rented the cottage under an alias and set the plans in motion. Her objective was that I would have as normal a childhood as could be had under the circumstances.”
    “Hard to fault her for that.”
    “My mother did,” Holly replied dryly. “Believe me, it was a regular argument between the two of them.”
    “A battle royale?”
    She sent him a black look.
    “Sorry.” He sipped his own beer. “So, what about your father? What did he think of your summers abroad?”
    Her father? King Franco was a busy man. Sometimes she wondered if he remembered he had a daughter. She’d long felt like a disappointment.
    “My father didn’t think them necessary. After all, being royal is all he’s ever known. But he didn’t really care one way or another.” She swallowed, determined to keep her tone nonchalant. “My being born female was a bit of